Apple Training Series: Desktop and Portable Systems, Second Edition

ESD Prevention

Whenever you open a Macintosh or other electrical device, you are exposing its internal components to potential damage from the static electricity that builds up in your body through normal activity. Electrostatic discharge occurs when static electricity is discharged from one conductor (such as your finger) to another conductor (such as a memory chip) of a different potential. Exposing an integrated circuit (IC) to as little as 10 volts of static electricity can damage the IC irreparably—and you wouldn't even know it happened, because humans can't perceive static electricity less than 1500 volts.

Since imperceptible ESD can damage integrated circuits found in computer and communications equipment, you must be particularly careful ...